What infants can teach us about fitness

Well, it's been a furlough again from sending you daily updates/emails, and this time mostly because of the birth of my baby daughter a couple of weeks back. Yes - you read that right- there's been a new addition to the Fast and Furious gang - a healthy little girl that already seems to be wrapping me around her little finger, hehe.

I also now fully understand what folks say about newborns tiring one out - it's been a struggle (though an interesting one) just to keep up with our baby girl and take care of her at odd hours and such, and handle business affairs, workouts and life in general at the same time - whew!

And so, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about infants and what they can teach us about fitness in today's email.

Most folks, especially those that are hooked on to heavy weights and stuff would sneer at this. After all, what can a 2 week old baby girl teach a "muscle bound" gym goer about fitness?

Well, read before you judge, my friend, and you might just be in for a surprise.

First off, infants and kids (uptil the age of maybe 3 or 4) do the one thing that ALL of us, regardless of shape, size, or fitness levels should be doing - and that is, they BREATHE naturally and correctly. They breathe the way we were meant to breathe, which is from the lower abdomen. And if you've seen a baby sleep, you know what I'm saying. They breathe deeply on each inhale, with the lower abdomen rhythmically rising and falling with each breath, and the chest expanding - not intentionally, but as a side effect of each breath. They do NOT breathe from the mouth - which is another bad habit most adults have, especially when gasping for breath.

Sound cryptic and confusing? Well, I wouldn't blame you if your answer is a big YES - I like to think of myself as breathing in the right way, but I caught myself not doing so just a few minutes after watching my little girl sleep in the hospital. To put in a nutshell, your breath should originate from the lower abdomen - NOT the chest, and it should be a "deep" rhythmic breath that makes your lower abdomen expand with each inhale. Try it yourself after a hard set of exercises, or when you are out of breath, and I bet you'll find you recover far more quickly than sucking in "lungfuls of air" through your mouth in a harried manner.

Ever see an infant huff and puff after a bout of wailing, or a 1 year old out of breath after "running" you ragged around the living room? I bet not - and the reason behind this is deep breathing - done naturally without a second thought, and done CORRECTLY. And that, methinks is "proof enough" for those that believe this method of breathing isn't the right way to do it.

Second, and more importantly, infants (and toddlers) make sure to get in the right amount of movement during the day. Ever seen a healthy infant lie "still" without flailing about? I bet not - this movement is what gets their muscles up to speed for the tasks required in daily life such as walking etc. Easy enough to figure out, huh? Well, take the average pot bellied Joe (or Jane) and have them kick like a baby from the "core" for just five minutes straight, and I bet they'll be exhausted and unable to complete even two straight minutes without a pause.

As for nutrition, well - ever seen an infant stuff itself so full of milk that it can't breathe? I bet not - but I bet you've seen someone stuff themselves full of a calorie laden pizza and barely be able to breathe (let alone walk) after that. 'Tis not the case with infants and toddlers - they instinctively know how much they need to eat and move, and thats something we as adults would do good to emulate in our daily lives as well.

Anyway, those are but a few examples - and YES, we CAN learn how to incorporate some of these practices in real life as adults as well.

All for now - the little one is crying, and it's gotta be Daddy's fault, of course, hehe. . .